The Nature Of The Soul
by Athena Of The Greeks
Summary: Book Three in the Omega Series! As the world grows darker and the Shadows grow stronger, the gods too have become more powerful with their new addition, new ally and a truly unexpected return from one they thought to be dead. The war has yet to truly begin, the real dangers are yet to be faced and the strength of both good and evil will soon be tested in ways beyond imagining.
1. Prologue

**B****eneath, in the churchyard, lay the dead,**

**In their night encampment on the hill,**

**Wrapped in silence so deep and still**

**That he could hear, like a sentinel's tread,**

**The watchful night-wind, as it went**

**Creeping along from tent to tent,**

**And seeming to whisper, "All is well!"**

**A moment only he feels the spell,**

**Of the place and the hour, and the secret dread**

**Of the lonely belfry and the dead;**

**For suddenly, his thoughts are bent**

**On a shadowy something far away,**

**Excerpt from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's 'The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere."**

**Prologue**

It stirs, a long forgotten evil that would be this worlds undoing. Soon the steward will be freed, and with that freedom he will seek out his master who for so long has laid in wait for this day to come. And oh! How he has longed for this! Once released and his full power restored, nothing will be able to stop him. Oh, the gods will have their weapons, they always do, yet he had something they knew not of, something that would be their undoing, a missing piece to the puzzle they understood to be _'reality.'_

This world would be his, darkness will once again reign supreme in the realms of this world, and he will complete what he set out to do so very long ago. Few remember what he had done when he claimed his high place that was now lost to him; so many were destroyed, the rest forced to bow down before him and were treated no better than slaves. He should have known the troublesome lot would not so easily be quilled, that they would rise up in defiance against their lord. Yet what was done, was done; he would not make the same mistake twice. When his time came, when his servant freed himself and his minions, he would destroy warmth and light once and for all.

Even now the steward could hear his masters call, like a whisper carried on the winds, a silent draw to his place by his masters side. Too long he had waited to bow before him and be rewarded for his loyalty, to be given that which was most sought after in his existence. Aeon's have passed as he patiently awaited his freedom, and now, at long, long, long last, the time was nearly upon them…


	2. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: HERE WE GO! It is amazing to realize that I am now beginning to post the THIRD book in the Omega Series. This is the rough draft of course, and so be prepared for typos and what not. I decided not to do a preface for the rough draft simply so that I will have more freedom to work with the story and take it where I see fit. And also, I did not put a quote before this chapter because I could not find one that would fit this book. When I do find one that is worthy, I will put it in before this chapter and I will alert you as to its existence and addition in whatever chapter I may be working on at that time. **

* * *

**Chapter 1 Pandora's point of view **

**March 2nd 11335bce  
The Capture of the Nameless One **

I watched from the mountain as the gods took their place on the battlefield, a long, flat plane that had been chosen for this purpose alone, for the battle that would ensue. Today would be the day, one way or another, it ends today. My father was down there, watching, waiting for the impending attack. Because of all I had done, all those Shadows that were now eternal prisoners within the confines of my box, we had tracked down the last remaining pocket of those dark beasts. It was said that the gods created them for a purpose, one they served well until the Nameless One took that being of darkness into his soul. I had never seen my grandfather before, there were no paintings of him, nothing of his likeness was to be found among the gods. I knew what was expected of me once he was captured, and I had to admit I was far from fearless to face him, but no one else but me could do what needed to be done. I was no war goddess, I was not like Ennina, nor Ares. I was not even a god, only half of one, but apparently half was enough to track down one of the most vicious, usurping king's to ever sit upon a throne of the gods.

My nerves make me shake. Because of my light and my box, I had given the gods the upper hand in every battle they had fought to find the Nameless One. But this was different; they had not faced this evil in thousands of years after he went into hiding. So while this battle raged, I would remain on the mountain, safely stashed away until my time came to face him.

I had heard of the Nameless One's power, and I feared for the safety of my family, and my Epimetheus. He was down there, among them, waiting for the battle to begin. My mind went to the night before, when he kissed me and told me that he loved me for the very first time. Thinking of him provoked tears to fill my eyes and fear to fill my soul. I could not lose him, not like this, not ever. He was not the most skilled of warriors, however the gods needed everyone they could get. They would not chance my grandfather escaping their grasps yet again. This will end today, one way or another.

The plane of battle darkened as an army appeared, made up of countless ranks of Shadows, those mindless creatures awaiting the orders of their master. There were thousands of them, though there once had been millions. These Shadows that stood here today were the last of their kind that remained on this Earth, this was their final stand, _his _final stand.

The gods, whose numbers had reached three thousand, two hundred and five well trained warriors, held their formation, their dark foes gracing the battlefield fifty meters away in the distance. My father stood in the front of our army, ready to lead his people to victory. Cronus, the god who raised my father, stood to his left and just behind him, while my sister Ennina stood beside her husband on the right. Close by were my uncles Poseidon and Hades, my step mother Hera and her sisters Demeter and Hestia. The gods made for quite an impressive sight, dressed in their adamantine battle armor, their myriad of weapons shining in the bright sun of this cool spring day. Their capes flapped in the wind as they stood perfectly still.

On the other side, heading the Shadows, was the disgraced former king of the gods, the being who nearly brought about the end of the human race, an immortal whose very name was taken away and removed from existence as punishment for his crimes. The armor of the infamous god was made of adamantine and trimmed with gold and onyx in an elaborate design. His helm hid his features from sight, I could only image what he actually looks like, if my father resembles him at all.

My father raised his sword high above his head, a battle cry issuing from his lips as he then threw his arm forward and his men charged into battle with a fierce battle cry filling the field and making its way up to me on the mountain. The rest of the battle happened seemingly in a blur to my half mortal eyes, the gods and Shadows moved in that cacophony of shouts, and screams and the clash of adamantine weapons among a swirl of darkness and shining adamantine. As I looked on with anxious eyes and a heart to match, I noticed that there was more of adamantine to be seen than of darkness. A tentative smile came to my lips, knowing this could only mean one thing, but not wanting to get my hopes up.

The battle in itself lasted an hour, then things began to grow quiet as the gods finished off the last of the Shadows until there was only one being of darkness left on that field. The Nameless One still fought with all his might, even as gods surrounded him he refused to surrender. He tore his helm off and screamed words that I could not hear from this distance. He was soon over powered and shackled as powerful immortals stood guard around that monster.

"Pandora?" Came an unmistakable voice from behind me.

I spun around to see Epimetheus standing there, a single wound on his forehead that was already healing. I smiled to see him standing there as his smile widened, his vibrant green eyes dancing with victory. It was his eyes that had first attracted me to him. I ran into his arms and he held me tight against his armored chest as he kissed me, our enthusiastic kisses continued as I cried out my relief that he still lived. Then he just looked into my eyes as he held me.

"The day is ours, the war is over." He told me, I nodded and we shared one more sweet kiss.

Epimetheus held me close as he teleported me to the battle field. Gods were carrying their wounded away while others were treated on site. It was a surreal sight, though I knew that battle between mortals was an even bloodier business. I ran up to my father when I spotted him and hugged him tightly, kissing his cheek. He looked into my eyes with a smile after he had placed a kiss on my forehead. His eyes were clearly troubled though.

"Are you ready?" He asked, I nodded.

He led me to where the Nameless One was being held, and the closer we got, the louder the shouting had become. My grandfather was on his knees, shackled with adamantine chains that not even he could break, try as he might. His black curls were caked with dirt, his pale skin streaked with mud, his pale blue eyes crazed with anger as he glared at the gods before him. Zeus did resemble him I found, not completely, but enough.

"HOW DARE YOU! I AM YOUR RIGHTFUL KING!" He screamed, his eyes were crazed and they landed on Zeus as we walked up. "How could my own son betray me? Why would you choose the mortals over your own father?"

"Because life is scared, all life." My father replied in a surprisingly calm tone. "And you are not my father." His sky blue eyes then turned to me, he gave me a stiff nod.

I opened the satchel that was slung around my shoulder and hung at my hip. I removed my box from within, holding it before me as I pushed down on the adamantine buttons. The top came flying open and I felt its power emanating around me. The box is as much a part of me as I am of it, it was created from my blood after all.

The gathered gods, myself included, watched the Nameless One as he directed his glare at my box, at what had been his undoing. _Something is wrong_, I quickly realized. This was usually the part where the host began screaming as the Shadow was drawn forth and into the box in my hands. Yet he was silent, he was still, and clearly not in any kind of pain. Then he smiled and threw his head back as a malicious laugh left his lips. He looked right into my eyes, and my blood ran cold from that one look.

"It does not work on me, little girl." He sneered. I stood tall and calm, not willing to let him see the fear I felt at being in his presence.

I felt a warm hand on my shoulder and I jumped a bit as my head whipped round, only to find it was my fathers hand, his sky blue eyes looked into my own violet ones. He gave my shoulder a squeeze and nodded in Epimetheus' direction. I nodded and closed my box, placing it in the pouch before going to stand by Epimetheus' side. I watched as my father and the most powerful of the gods teleported away with the Nameless One, bringing him to the Underworld, where he would be placed in Tartarus for his crimes. I was still shaken, though a surreal kind of peace did come over me. The Nameless One was gone, he was no longer a threat, this world was safe. I looked into Epimetheus' vibrant green eyes as he smiled down to me and caressed my cheek as the wounded were taken away.

"It is over." I whispered, and he nodded as his smile widened, his handsome face glowing golden with pure joy.

It was hard to wrap my mind around. After twelve years, I had finally accomplished what I set out to do. The Shadows were gone, the Nameless One was imprisoned. The world and the mortals were now truly free to heal, to thrive and prosper under the reign of my benevolent family. I began to cry the happiest tears that had ever fallen from my violet eyes. I wrapped my arms around the god I love once again and held him close, realizing that I was now free to live a life with him.

Two weeks later, we were married in an elaborate ceremony, and it was easily the happiest day of my life as Epimetheus were bound in marriage to one another, promising our love to one another for the rest of time. At the celebration, we danced, and kissed, and laughed the night away with our family. And then it was time for something else, something we had both waited so long to do. Epimetheus brought me to the room that had been prepared for us with flower petals and candles and silk sheets. He took his time undressing me as we kissed and my body shivered in a mixture of delight and nervousness under his touch. I unwrapped his robe and then we stood there naked, holding each other as we stood by the bed and I gazed into his eyes. My soul was his, I was his in every way. I was so incredibly in love with him, I sometimes thought I might just lose my sanity.

His hands slid from my body and he held his hand up to me, I took a shaky breath and took his hand. He gave me a soft smile as he led me to the bed and sat down on the edge as I stood before him and he looked over my body. His hands came up to caress my body, his fingers felt like some kind of electrified fire as they trailed over every inch of my skin and his mouth found my breasts, first one, then the other, bringing me such an exquisite sensation as our breathing became more and more harsh. I gripped onto him, his shoulders, his hair, the back of his neck, as I stood before him on shaky legs, my body on fire with passion. I wanted him, now. I placed my hands on his cheeks and brought his face to look up to mine. His eyes were filled with the fire that consumed my body, inside and out. I nodded and hands went to my hips, guiding me forward, onto the bed.

I went willingly, achingly, I climbed onto the bed to hover over his lap. My arms wrapped around his neck as his gentle hands slowly guided me down onto him. I was still shivering as we slowly became one. A wince came from my lips as I clutched onto him once he was fully inside of me. His breathing was harsh as he held onto me and our eyes met again and he knew I was okay, I was ready for more. He caressed my cheek with that loving fire still raging within those eyes I love so much, his fingers tucking a stray lock of my golden hair behind my ear before he slowly leaned forward and kissed me, a kiss that soon became far more passionate as his hands guided my hips in the motion that brought us both the greatest kind of pleasure. My head fell back as we moved together and a sound of ecstasy left my lips. Epimetheus' lips found my neck, kissing it with such passion. Soon I found myself on my back on the bed with his prefect body upon my own as this lovemaking continued, my arms and legs clutching onto him, needing more of this, more of him...

Three days later, I was granted immortality for the critical part I played in the capture of the Nameless One and the Shadows, and two days after that, I awakened as a goddess. My husband and I settled into our home and our life together, one filled with so much love and such pure bliss. The following year, our first child was born, our beautiful daughter Alexis. She had her fathers brown hair, his green eyes too, though her face resembled me the most. She was perfect, so small, and divine, and absolutely perfect. Epimetheus proved to be a loving and devoted father, just as I always knew he would be. With our little girl, our life was complete, or at least we thought it was, until I became pregnant with our second child. Reina was brought into this world two years to the day after her sister. She looked so much like a mixture of her father and my mother, though she had my violet eyes and golden blond hair, and just like her sister, she was perfect, absolutely, positively perfect in every single way.

Alexis and Reina grew up as the closest of sisters. They played games together, they spent time learning weaving with me or working at swordplay with their father. Reina had no patience for weaving, but Alexis adored the art as much as I did. My girls were adored by all, and how could they not be? They were perfect, sweet, always singing and dancing, and always so very happy.

We were happy, so, so very happy. Life was perfect, everything I had ever wanted and more. I had a family of my own, and there was peace on the earth. I had my husband, my wonderful, ridiculously funny, handsome husband who adored me and loved me with the same passion I had for him. And even more than all these things combined, I had my daughters, my two beautiful little girls whom meant the world to me. Even though motherhood was something I had always longed for, actually being a mother was even more incredible than I ever dreamed it would be.

My box was safely tucked away in a room of our home, I had taught my daughters about the box, seeing as how it would one day belong to one of them. I told them how to work it, told them what was inside must never be released, that it was very important they do not play with it. They had both nodded their heads and promised me not to touch it, their faces were so innocent and adorable that I could not help kissing both of their little cheeks as they giggled that day.

And so it came to be that on this beautiful, sunny, summers day, I hummed to myself the melody my mother taught me as I worked on my loom. Alexis was visiting her cousins, she and Ennina's daughter Astreia were very close and absolutely adored each other. Epimetheus had left early this morning to train; even though there was no one left to fight and peace had reigned for the past eleven years since that final battle, he still insisted on honing his skills. This left Reina and I home alone together today, she was playing in her room, singing a little song of her own that warmed my soul and made my smile grow.

After a while, Reina's song grew quiet and a moment later my hand froze on its way to the loom because of this silence. On any other day, this would not have caused me a second thought. But today was different, I felt something urging me to my feet, some instinct within me was telling me to find my daughter. Something felt wrong, so very wrong that I began to move quicker with each step I took.

I followed my daughter's essence, my disquiet growing into all out panic as I realized where she was and what she was about to do. I found myself running as fast as I could towards the only room I would never allow my daughters to enter alone. _No, _I pleaded within my mind, _oh please Moirae no! Not my daughter, not my Reina! _

When I reached the hall that led to that room, my fear deepened, seeing the door was open. I ran even faster, not pausing at the door as I rushed in just in time to see Reina's little thumbs pushing down upon the knobs on my box as I gasped.

"REINA NO!" I screamed as I kept running towards her, knowing it was too late.

Without a thought, when I reached my daughter half a breath later, I pushed her out of the way just as the lid came flying open. An immense darkness shot out from the box, and I felt a suction around my body drawing me in. As I was pulled into my box, I looked back, seeing the horrifying sight of those Shadows all slithering into my daughters soul as she screamed for my help and reached for me with her little hand.

"MOTHER!" She screamed.

"REINA!" I screamed for her. Then, all was black, all was still.

Not a moment later, I felt myself being expelled from the box with such force it knocked me off my feet. I hit the ground, surrounded by a bright light, a light the same color as the unique gift I was born with. When the light died down, I saw the white marble floor I was laying on as my body took form, going from glowing golden ichor, to my form of golden locks, lightly tanned skin and violet eyes. The first thing I felt as the light died down, was the essence of a powerful goddess. Her essence had many elements that were similar to my own and a few that were foreign to me.

I pushed myself up with my hands so that I was sitting on my side. I looked up to where the goddess stood and was shocked by the sight that I was greeted with. It was like looking into a mirror. She had my golden blond wavy hair, only hers had a slight orange tint to it, like the color of the flame. Her eyes too held a kind of flame, her violet irises holding an ember like glow that I had seen in others who have had a chimera gift them with their scared fire. Her skin was like mine, glowing slightly golden, and most startlingly, her face was a replica of my own. She wore a purple gown in an elegant cut, and was clearly a few months pregnant. She looked at me with the same shock I felt.

"Oh my gods," She whispered in a voice that was so like my own. "Pandora." I just stared at her, feeling nothing but bewilderment.

I was incredibly disoriented, I took in my surroundings, realizing that this was not the room I was in a moment ago. _Where am I? What happened? _I wondered. Then an image of Reina ran through my mind, of her on that floor with the Shadows surrounding her, binding with her soul as she screamed for me. I looked back at the goddess, who was still gazing upon me in a shocked state of wonder.

"Reina, where is she?" I begged the woman before me. She did not reply, it was as if she had forgotten how to speak. Tears of fear and frustration came into my eyes as I spoke again. "Where is my child? Where is Reina!"

* * *

**Author's Note: Well there you have it! Chapter 1! I am dying to know what you think so please leave me a comment if you enjoyed it :) I do not know when the next chapter will be out, but hopefully it will be sometime soon. **

**Thank you for reading!**

**Love Jasmine **


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**Mera's point of view**

"Where is my child?" Pandora screamed at me with a frantic desperation within her eyes. "Where is Reina!"

An eternity seemed to pass by in the seconds that followed as I tried to take in the fact that Pandora is alive, that my actions freed her. As an expecting mother, I held a certain understanding of her desperation if she feared for her child… yet there were so many unanswered questions. How much did she know? Did she have any idea of what her precious daughter has become in her absence? Or was she simply unconscious while she was within her box? Had she been freed before this only to be trapped again?

I shook my head to clear it, a habit from my mortal days. This was not the time for these questions; a mother was lying there on the floor, begging to know of the wellbeing of her daughter. I put my mind to a different task as I watched Pandora get to her feet in a movement so fast, that if I were still a Descendant, it would have looked like nothing more than a blur.

"REINA!" She screamed, her head tilted up as she looked around, searching for her daughters response. "REINA!"

"Pandora?" I called to her, though she seemed not to hear me. "Pandora!" I screamed to get her attention, her eyes flashed to me, her breathing was shallow and quick, she appeared to be having a panic attack. "This room is protected, she cannot hear your call from here."

Her form became golden light as she tried to teleport, only to find it useless with the wards that had been put up to protect Pandora's box, a truly priceless treasure, which was one of only two items in existence which possessed the ability to lock away and weaken Shadows, those horrifying beings of darkness and evil that plague this Earth.

Pandora screamed in frustration as her form resumed; tears filled her eyes, her hands balling up into fists as she looked to me, then glanced at the doors behind me. Her determination did not end, and how could it? What mother in her right mind would sit back if she feared her beloved child was in danger? My breath caught in my throat as she began running past me; one question echoed through my thoughts, _Reina will kill Pandora if she finds her; she is a threat to her every darkened dream._

"Pandora!" I screamed her name again, a desperation within me to protect her as I grabbed her shoulder as she ran by me.

The strangest thing happened in that moment, once my hand touched upon her shoulder; Pandora's whole frame went still and then became stiff, I caught her right before she hit the floor. I was beyond shocked… not knowing how in the hell I did that. My abilities have advanced and progressed greatly during the last five months I have been an immortal, but I had not known this was one of them, to render an immortal goddess unconscious with simply the touch of my hand.

I picked her up her limp body bridal style, opening the grand white marble doors with my mind as I carried her out, knowing I needed to be out of this room before I could call for Zeus. He would know what to do, he is her father after all; I could only imagine what realizing she is alive would be like for him.

* * *

**Pandora's point of view**

My eyes opened in the dark; my mind, which was still in a haze of sleep, registered that this was neither my bed nor my room. An image flashed through my mind, of Reina, on the ground, those Shadows feeding off of her as she reached her little hand out to me, screaming _"Mother!"_

"Reina!" I yelled out as I quickly sat up, suddenly feeling disoriented and blurry, nearly falling back onto the soft pillow. A pair of strong hands caught me by my forearms.

"Slowly." My father said as he lowed me back to the bed. I looked up at him, confused, disoriented and afraid for the life of my child. "You were rendered unconscious, you are still weak."

"Reina, she needs me." I said, trying to sit up again, only to have him hold my shoulders down as he looked down upon me with a great sadness. "Where is she?" That sadness deepened to near tears, and tears filled my eyes. _Oh please, no, please no!_ "Tell me she lives?"

"She does." He told me simply, tears of relief sprang to my eyes, I cried as I smiled, relaxing against the bed as I rubbed my forehead. I took a deep breath again.

"Thank the Moirae!" I proclaimed as I looked around the darkened room, now knowing I must be either in the hospital or in my fathers apartment in the palace. "Where is she?" I asked, needing to see her sweet face, to have her wrap her slender, small arms around my neck. I was highly disappointed to find the room empty except for my father and I. Reina was no where in sight.

"What is the last thing you remember?" My father asked, instead of answering my question.

"That goddess who resembles me greatly," I told him. "I was asking her where Reina is. She did not answer, and as I tried to run out the doors she grabbed my shoulder, then I lost consciousness and woke up here." My father took my hand, something within me knew this was not a good sign.

"Mera was protecting you." He said, giving my hand a squeeze, though I was not entirely certain as I looked upon him who needed the comfort more, myself or my father. "I meant before that, before that room. What was the date?"

"It was July 28th," I told him what I could remember. "Epimetheus was training with his brother that day and Alexis was spending the weekend with Astreia on Ennina and Cronus' island. Reina and I were home alone." I took a deep breath as tears came; this memory was so vividly intense I was nearly shaking. "She opened my box, I pushed her out of the way and was pulled in while she was devoured by the Shadows, screaming for my help." I cried, my father helped me sit up and wrapped his arms around me as I cried, still feeling how helpless I felt in that moment, not being able to protect her.

"Where is Epimetheus?" I asked my father as I continued crying. "Why is he not here? I need him." I looked up to my father when he did not answer; he had tears in his eyes, which he wiped away as they fell.

"It is complicated." He told me, which only made me all the more worried. He opened his lips, yet no words came out, as if he did not know how to say the words he needed to tell me. "Daughter, so much has taken place in your absence…"

And it was in that terrifying moment that I realized I knew the desperate and heartbroken look upon his face… he wore the same one when he told me my mother had passed when I was thirteen.

"Father, what has happened?" I asked, tears poured from his eyes as he looked up at the ceiling, as if begging for strength as my mind went into overtime, just trying to come up with an answer to my own question.

"I do not know how to begin." He told me, and an understanding dawned on me, as if a voice were whispering within my mind with an unfathomable truth.

"Father," I said softly, he looked into my eyes and what I saw there was heartbreaking. "How long was I trapped within my box?"

"Thirteen thousand years." He told me. I looked away, trying desperately to process the fact, that a measure of time had passed that I could not even begin to comprehend.

"The goddess whom freed me," I said to him. "Is she…?"

"Your Descendant, your granddaughter." He told me with a bit of a smile. "Her name is Mera, she will be nineteen in a months time."

"She is pregnant." I said, he nodded.

"With twins." He told me, a bigger smile coming to his features. "She is married to your brother Ariston; I had him five thousand years ago with a princess of Thera, whom went by the name Demetria."

"What is she like? My… granddaughter?" I asked him, not truly able to wrap my mind around the fact that my little girls were grown enough to have their own children. My father smiled again.

"She is strong of mind and spirit," He began with pride. "Stubborn, brilliant, a relentless warrior, innovative, fiercely loving and unquestioningly devoted to everything and one she loves. At only eighteen, she has already earned the title of Goddess, though she has yet to specialize in her duties."

"I want to see her, to meet her officially." I told him, he nodded.

"I will arrange it;" He assured me. "She has been dying to see you." Tears came to his eyes once again. I squeezed his hand and gave him a soft smile.

"What is wrong father?" I asked, and only then realized that there was more he was not telling me.

"I thought you were dead." He told me in a choked up voice, more tears falling from his eyes. "You have no idea how much I have lost." His comment brought my thoughts to a different place.

"I have lost too, haven't I?" I asked him, he nodded and once again I saw how hard this was for him. I knew I had to hear these truths, and so I gathered my courage, determined that no matter what he would tell me, I would stay strong. "Tell me, I want to know." I said, my voice holding confidence. He nodded, closing his eyes and taking another deep breath.

"Alexis is dead." He told me.

I was speechless, not able to understand what I had just been told. I shook my head and my eyes burned with tears as this realization came to me. I thought I had been prepared, but with those three words he spoke, my entire world came crashing down around me. I stopped breathing, I could not think, could not hear anything over the sound of my soul shattering. I looked at him, barely able to speak.

"How?" I just barely whispered.

"It was three hundred years after you disappeared and the Shadows were released." He told me. "Your box had disappeared when you did, and we searched for you both, trying to reign in the chaos the Shadows were creating. Alexis, she was so incredibly strong, completely fearless and dead-set to accomplish what you had, to put away the Shadows hopefully for good this time… but she was not immune to the Shadows as you are… she fought the bonding process and it was her end." Silent tears streamed down my cheeks, I could not move, could do nothing but listen as the most horrible kind of pain and loss tore apart my soul.

My father gave me time to take this in, but there was no way to cope with this, the death of my daughter, my eldest child. I saw her in my mind, the day she was born; the first time I saw her I cried. I could still feel her in my arms the very first time I held her perfect little form. In that moment, I promised myself I would always keep her safe. I made that promise to both of my girls Another memory of her flashed through my mind; she was looking at me with a bright smile as she presented me with a shawl she had woven for me. It was a shimmering white with little silken rosebuds and vines woven into place, a true work of art. I broke down, the tears springing up to pour from my eyes, eyes that would never look upon my daughter's sweet face again. My father held me tight, trying to soothe his inconsolable daughter. My sweet girl was gone… it was in that moment I sat up and pushed my father away so that I could look into his eyes.

"Where is Reina?" I asked, realizing that she must be a grown woman by now. "I have to see her."

"It is not possible right now." He told me.

"Tell me why." I demanded, crossing my arms. "Whatever else you are keeping from me… it cannot be any worse than this." Tears sprang to my eyes, and yet I stayed determined.

"She is not who you remember her to be." He told me, his words filling me with dread as my eyes slid shut.

"The Shadows." I whispered, he nodded.

"There was no one to save her from them." He told me. "Until a few months ago, we thought she was dead as you were." Father went on, so many emotions flashing through his sky blue eyes. "Epimetheus told us that when he returned home, Reina was so weak from the Shadows attacking her, she died in his arms; and you were no where to be found. To make matters worse, your box had disappeared and so Alexis, the only child with your divine ichor, could not make right what had gone wrong.

"We now know that he lied. Reina did not die that day; however, she was… changed. To the point where he barely recognized her, his own daughter. He feared the purge would have ended her, so he sent her to the other side of the continent and made her swear to never return home." I was horrified, and shocked beyond belief. _How could my Epimetheus do this?_ "Reina went on to become the Shadow's new queen, and even though we had informants within them, we never knew it was her, not until she told Mera everything… before nearly killing her. Although technically, Mera's death_ is_ on her hands. she knew the blade possessed a poison which would destroyed Mera's body and her soul. Mera is only alive because of Ariston sharing his soul with her."

"_My_ daughter did this?" I asked in shock, not able to imagine this. "How can you be certain it is her and not some imposter?"

"For one, Epimetheus confessed to everything," He told me. "And we have certain informants who also know of these truths. Beyond that, your box was in her possession before Mera finally got hold of it."

"You do not know the things Reina has brought about," He told me. "The pain she has caused, the families she has ripped apart… all the death and destruction that is on her hands. When Mera told us who she was, we confronted Epimetheus and placed him under arrest. He is now in Asphodel, and will remain there for the next fifty years." My mind was swirling, a torrent of thoughts spinning around so fast it was all I could do to grasp onto just one, and this torturous pain made it impossible to even attempt to.

"How can I see him?" I asked, looking into my fathers heartbroken eyes. "I need him." I whispered, he took a deep breath.

"There may be a way if I speak with your uncle," He paused, giving my hand a tight squeeze which told me that this was going to hurt. "But there is something you must know; He has remarried."

"… He remarried?" I whispered, my heart somehow finding yet another way to break with this latest piece of information.

"Pandora, you cannot blame him for this." He began, his eyes both compassionate and pleading, making me wonder what he was speaking of with the jumble my mind was in. "We thought you were dead, it was the only thing that made sense. We who knew you, knew you would not abandon your family. We searched for you, and so did Epimetheus. Long after everyone else had given up hope, he kept on searching; you were all he had left after he lost the girls. It took two thousand years for him to believe that you were dead, and a few hundred years afterwards, he fell in love and remarried. His wife Jasmina has been his only source of happiness since he lost all of you." He took a deep breath once again, trying to get his thoughts in order as I tried to take in that my husband had fallen in love with some other goddess, even though he promised me his undying love.

"Can you stand to hear anymore?" He asked, his eyes wondering if it were best to stop now.

"Let's get this over with." I told him, even though I felt as if I would break with just one more piece of horrifying news.

"The Nameless One, he is no longer imprisoned, he escaped the Underworld nearly a thousand years ago." My eyes flew to his in horror, my jaw dropping.

"How?" I demanded, not able to believe Hades would allow that to happen. After all I had seen him do, the suffering he had brought about… I could only imagine what he has done since his flight, and I could not contain my rage. "I thought he was being well guarded in Tartarus!"

"He was eventually moved to Asphodel, where he found a way." He told me, his eyes apologizing. He went to say more when I put my hand up and shook my head.

"I need a moment." I told him, my eyes pleading. My father nodded and held his arms out to me.

I broke down as I wrapped my arms around him, laying my head on his shoulder as he tried to comfort me. This was my mother all over again… only this was worse. Losing your mother is one thing… losing your child is another completely. The tears kept coming, born from something that went so far beyond pain and suffering, an agony my soul had never before know.

My daughter's face kept flashing through my mind, how tightly she would hug me when we would be reunited, even if she were only with her friends for less than an hour. I could feel Epimetheus, see his smile, the way he would look at me. So many memories of us staying up at night to care for the girls when they were infants, of playing with them when they were young; and now all of that was gone, my family torn apart. Reina was all I have left… though I was not certain how much of _her_ was left, I knew I would fight to get her back and save her from what she has become no matter what it took.

It must have been hours later before my tears ended. No part of me wanted to hear anymore of the things I had lost, yet I told myself it would be easier to learn about it now and deal with it later, instead of letting it linger within my mind, driving me to insanity with worry.

"Tell me more." I told my father, my voice numb. "I should be aware of these things." I pulled back to lean against the pillows as he began speaking again.

"What would you like to know?" He asked.

"Everything." I told him.

"Most of your line has been destroyed." He told me, I took a deep breath and nodded. "You will be grateful to hear that Alexis had happiness and love in her life for centuries before she passed. She met the god of her dreams, they had a beautiful son together and lived for countless years as a happy family. Her son went on to have children of his own, and so on and so forth it went. Descendants of your blood thrived among mortals and immortals alike, and were honored and revered for being originated from your ichor.

"Things were well, to a point. The Shadows still ran wild as we did what we could to keep this world safe. Yet when the Nameless One was released, less than two centuries after the fact, he began hunting down your line for the power they possessed and the possibility of them using the box against him. We protected as many as possible, yet he still found so many of them. By the time the millennium turned most recently for the mortals, only a handful were left. Mera is one of the few, we thought her to be last, besides her mother whom is not an active, and past her childbearing years.

"Mera is everything that was prophesied, and she has taken us by surprised at every turn by far exceeding our expectations. Now that she carries twins, that is two more of your line. Beyond Mera, her unborn sons, and her mortal mother, there are more whom have survived." I felt a dash of hope, seeing as how this was the first bit of good news I had heard since I woke.

"And they are?" I asked him.

"This will not be easy for you to hear," He warned. "Of course, none of this has been easy." He shook his head.

"Go on." I told him, he nodded. I was almost completely numb now, though there were flickers of emotions still lingering, some flaring up now and again.

"Reina fell in love," He began. "With the Nameless One, and they were married for three years."

"HIM!" I nearly screamed, even more horrified as that emotion sprang to life.

"I did warn you." He carefully reminded me. I shook my head as I looked at the ceiling, wondering how I could handle any more. This was not right, she was not supposed to end up with _him_; not my sweet, little Reina. I was positively livid!

"How in Tartarus could she end up with _him_?" I demanded.

"Power." He told me simply, as if that would explain everything. "She wanted what he had; she craved his darkness. Yet their union bore to us a gift." I looked into his eyes, seeing a warmth there that could be described as no less than unequivocal love. "A daughter, my only sister and your granddaughter. Her name is Nell, she is nineteen, almost twenty years of age. And just as I was, she was born with light within her; even though her parents did everything they could to discourage it, that light grew stronger over her years. She is incredible.

"There are also two more in your line." He told me. "Her first son, Edmund, whom I have taken in to raise as my own. Her second son, who is mine as well, is due to be born within the next four months."

"That would make them my grandsons, who are also my brothers." I mentioned, he nodded, we both knew that such things were FAR from unheard of among the gods, and he seemed to truly love her and their sons.

"Edmund could not be more full of life," He told me. "And I can only guess the same of our unborn child."

"How many children do you have now?" I asked him, guessing he had not changed and continued in affairs with women he cared for.

"Many thousand, though I have lost more than I can stand to the war and even more to the fact of them being only half divine. A few hundred remain to me." He told me and I took hold of his hand as tears ran down my cheeks, now understanding exactly how it hurts him.

"I would like to meet my grandchildren, and my siblings, sometime in the coming days." I told him, he nodded.

"You will love them." He told me, I nodded, the pain still tearing me apart. "You should get some rest."

"How am I supposed to be able to sleep?" I asked him, looking into his eyes.

"Hera is still awake, if you are hungry." He offered.

"Alright." I said, realizing in that moment just how much I needed to see her.

He helped me out of bed, his arm wrapped securely around my waist to support my weakened frame as we made our way to the kitchen. With each step, each breath, my heart and soul shattered more. My fathers arm around me was the only thing keeping me from crumbling again. As we neared the kitchen, Hera came out and looked at me with tears within her eyes, ones that were between inexplicable sadness, and true joy.

"Mother!" I cried as I ran to her and she came quickly to me as we embraced.

"I am so glad you are alive." She told me, her voice full of emotion. "And I am so sorry you have returned only to face such heartbreak." I nodded as I continued to cry.

Hera has been a mother to me since I was thirteen, when my mother passed away. She was there for me when I first bled, and spoke to me once again of what it means to be a woman. She was the one who guided me through motherhood, and before that taught me so much of life, helping me down what was a difficult way of life.

Hera kissed my forehead and helped me to the kitchen, where a different table from the one I remembered held many appetizing foods, some of them my favorites. Truth be told, no part of me wanted to eat, no matter how good it smelled. I sat with the two of them, eating with a mechanical sort of motion, doing anything that would prolong facing a painful reality. I came to realize that it was easier to focus on eating than to deal with my grief.

They made small talk with me, touching my hands and shoulders on occasion, a gesture of comfort and affection. I could see within their eyes how grateful they were to have me back; and as much as I wanted to return their sentiment, there was not enough room for true joy within my soul. Their presence helped, yet only slightly.

I had never in my life felt so alone, so completely isolated and lost; even with my father and step-mother there to comfort me. I had lost everything, everything that mattered to me was gone. My husband, my daughters… gone, in what only felt like a matter of hours to me, and was in reality many thousands of years.

I excused myself after eating; father offered to come and stay with me, yet I declined. I found my way to my old room easily enough. I closed the door behind me, deciding to bathe, wanting to do anything that would prolong the time I had before I would have to get into a cold, empty bed. Everything felt strange, and not only because of the odd objects within my room, such as the black panel of glass and other small objects that light up in the dark. I was in shock, still trying to understand what had transpired while I was locked away within my box… and not being able to cope with all that had been lost.

I cried and cried for the longest while as I sat in the claw footed gold tub, which sat across from the small pool of steaming water. After a time, the tears subsided but the pain did not. It was a grief, a torment I could foresee no salvation from. Never again would I hear Alexis' laughter, hold her in my arms, see her smile light up her face that was so like my own. Alexis was gone, my daughter, my wonderful child, she was gone. Reina was lost to a darkness that has plagued her soul for thirteen thousand years, since she was only eight… and my husband… not only was locked away… he was no longer mine. He remarried, leaving me alone.

Reina was all I had left, and one way or another, I would find a way to save her from what she has become. It would not be easy, and I would not give up. No halfway decent parent would ever dream of giving up on her own child.

* * *

**Author's Note: Well it certainly took me long enough! Forgive me for putting you through such a long wait, I simply could not focus on the story and refused to upload a chapter unworthy of this series. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, though it is heartbreakingly sad. Pandora has quite a journey ahead of her, and a multitude of loss and heartache to bear. I wanted to write a longer chapter as I have done with my other stories, yet this was what I had done tonight and I wanted to post something for you all! It would delight me to hear your thoughts on it, those reviews and those of you who have followed and favorited both myself and my story mean the world to me! As any writer will tell you, feedback whether it be good or bad, fuels our creative fires!**

**For those of you who read More Than Life, I am working on the Epilogue and hope to get it out soon! I cannot wait to be done with the story!**

**Much love, Jasmine Dubroff**


End file.
